Down indicator for football games with cross-shaped rotor and tau-shaped case



DOWNINDICATOR FOR FOOTBALL GAMES WITH CROSS-SHAPED ROTOR AND T-SHAPED CASE Filed Jan. 19; 1946 Sept. '7, 1949. M. R. scHALL 2,482,876

INVENTOR. V Myron RScbal Z BY :2 W1. viva-.13

Patented Sept. 27, 1949 .1

1 UNITED 1 STATES DOWN INDICATOR. FORQFOOTBAIVLI AMES".

WITH CROSS-SHAPED SHAPED o js n Myron R. 'Schall, s

Boron ,AND 1- acranientor calif.

Application refi e y 19, was, s rialgivagcizlzob 7 Claims.

This invention relates to, and it is an object to provide, a novel indicating device for use at foot-' ball games to indicate to theplayers and spe'cta tors alike the down in any given series of plays; such down indicator being intended for use by the head linesman and in place of the box-like indications now commonly in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a,

down indicatorwhich is readily visible, relatively light-weight-,'-easy to manipulate and operate, and of durable construction. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a'down indicator which is adjustable as to height, whereby the head linesman can adjust the device so that the down indicating portion thereof is above his head for ready visibility.

An additional object of the invention is to mount the down indicating portion of the device for rotation. about a vertical axis so that such portion may be rotated, on each down, so that spectators at the ends'as well as at'the'sides of the playing field may view the down indication.-

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device and yet onewhich will be exceedingly effective 'for the='purpose for which it is designed. 7

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specificationand claims.

In the drawings: I V

Figure lis an elevationof the down indicator as in use, V

Figure 2 is a similar view, but with the-adjacent side plate of. the T-shaped case broken away, and with the standard removed. i V

Figure 3 is an end elevationof the devicawith the standard removed. r

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of the detachable coupling means between the down indicating portion of the device and the vertically adjustable standard.

Figure 5 is a cross section on line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises a flat, cross-shaped rotor l formed of light weight material, such as hard fibreboard or the like; such rotor including legs 2 curved at their outer ends in concentric relation to the axis of rotation. The legs 2 are numbered from one to four, as shown, with said numbers appearing in identical relation on opposite sides of the rotor; this numbering representing the downs in each series of play in the game of football.

The cross-shaped rotor 2 is turnably mounted in a relatively thin T-shaped case, indicat d erally at 3, which case includes laterally project: ing legs; 4 and adownwardly projecting leg 5. The T'-shaped case 3 includes adjacent but spaced side plates 6 whichfform' the legs 4 and 5, and which plates are connected, at the'outer ends of saidlegdasatl.v 1.

The rotor 2 is disposedbetween the side plates 6 in spaced relation thereto, and is turnably supported on a "central pivot bolt 8- for rotation within the case'S. "The size and configuration of the rotor 2 is suchthat when one of the legs 2 of the rotor' projects vertically upwardly, the remaining legs of said rotor lie in symmetrical, covered relation by the legs] and 5 "of the T shaped case 3. Said 'c as'e'is' notched or cut away at its upper edge and centrally thereof, as at 9, so'as to expose the whole-of the rotor leg 2 which is in upstanding position. r I a I In'order to support the rotor 2 against wobbling it is provided at'the center portion thereof, and on opposite sides,-with spac'er discs H) which are affixed thereto, and which discs engage the inner faces of the side'pla'tes 6 with an easy running fit. One of the spacer discs I0 is fitted, on the outside, Withit filler disc lof reduced diameter, which runs in 'a matching opening in'the adjacent side plate 6. A-handle'l2, which-includes a circular base "l3, is's'ecured to one end of the pivot bolt -8"exte'riorly'ofthe case 3, with said base*l3abutting the 'filler disc ll. Pins l4 eX- tend from thecircular base is of the handle into the assembly of-the filler disc II and adjacent spacer disc 10. It will be seen that by reason of the above arrangement,:rotation-' ofthe handle I2 will cause similar movementof the rotor 2 withinthecas'e 3:" -The" device includes a telescopic, vertically-adjustable standard I 5 detachably coupled, at its upper end, to the lower end of the downwardly projecting leg 5 of the case 3, as follows:

A spindle I6 is turnably mounted in the upper end of the standard l5 and includes an enlarged radial collar l1 intermediate its ends which engages in rotatable relation in a seat It? formed in the upper end of said standard. The spindle I6 projects above the enlarged radial collar l1 into a socket l9 formed on the lower end of an upwardly projecting yoke 20 which straddles, and is aflixed to, said downwardly projecting leg 5 of the case. The upper end portion of the spindle I6 is releasably secured in the socket l9 by a set screw 2|.

When the device is assembled and is being prepared for use, the standard I5 is adjusted to proper height by the head linesman, and so that the down indicating portion of the device is readily visible above his head.

During each series of play, the head linesman manipulates the handle l2 so that the leg 2 which bears the correct indication of the down projects upwardly from the case for viewing, which viewing is facilitated by the cut-a-way portion 9 of said case.

The device is of substantial size so that the down indication may be readily seen by both the players and the spectators. As the rotor is changed from one position to another, tolndicate a change of downs, the head linesman may rotate the case 3 with the spindle [6 as an axis of rotation, whereby spectators beyond the ends of the playing field, as well as those along the sides of the playing field, may obtain a view of the down indication. When the play takes place the case is of course disposed sov that one side faces the playing field.

When the device is not in use the set screw 21 is loosened and the spindle it removed from the socket l9, whereby to facilitate carrying of the parts of the device from place to place. 7

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets ,forth in detail the 1 present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as .do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, asdefined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A down indicator for football games comprising a flat, cross-shaped rotor having legs of equal length, like down indicia on each leg on opposite faces thereof, .a flat, relatively thin T- shaped case including adjacent but spaced T- shaped side plates connected together at the ends of the legs thereof, the rotor being pivoted in the case for rotation about a central axis, the case being ymmetrical to the rotor and enclosing the remainder thereof when one leg of said rotor projects upwardly above said case, and a standard on which the case is-secured in supported relation.

2. A down indicator for football games comprising a. flat, (moss-shaped rotor having legs of equal length, like down" indicia on each leg on opposite faces thereof, a flat, relatively thin T- shaped case including adjacent but spaced T- shaped side plates connected together at the ends of the legs thereof, the rotor being pivoted in the case for rotation about a; central axis, the case being symmetrical to the rotor and enclosing the remainder thereof when one leg of said rotor projects upwardly above said case, and a standard on which the case is secured in supported relation; said last named means including an upstanding spindle turnably supported on the standard, and a socket member on the case at the bottom; the spindle being releasably secured in the socket member.

3. A down indicator for football games comprising a-flat, cross-shaped rotor having legs of equal length, like down indicia on each leg on opposite faces thereof, a flat, relatively thin T- shaped case including adjacent but spaced T- shaped side plates connected together at the ends of the legs thereof, the rotor being pivoted in the case for rotation about a central axis, the case being symmetrical to the rotor and enclosing the remainder thereof when one leg of said rotor projects upwardly above said case, and a standard on which the case is secured in supported relation; there being .a handle mounted exteriorly of the case operative to rotatably adjust said rotor.

4. .A down indicator for football games comprising a case. consisting of a pair of relatively thin spaced apart matching plates, such plates having relatively straight top edges and the case being open adjacent said top edges and the plates being secured together adjacent the other edges thereof, a relatively thin fiat rotatable element journaled between the plates and being of such a size that a substantial portion thereof projects above the straight edges of the plates as such element is rotated, like down indicating numbers disposed in matching relation on each flat face of the element, the numbers being arranged at substantially right'angles to each other on the element-wherebywith each quarter turn given such element one number will be exposed above the top edges of the case. r

5. A down indicator as in claim 4 including a standard, the case having its flat faces vertically disposed, and such case being journaled on said standard for free turning movement about the longitudinal axis of the standard.

MYRON R. SCHALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- 1 Date 1,099,244 Fish June 9, 1914 r 1,689,865 Davis eta] Oct. 30,1928 1,789,890 Agrell Jan. 20, 1931 1 960,363 Yearwood May 29, 1934 

